Hemp-beater



(No Model.)

T. J. FERGUSON.

HEMP BEATER.

Patented Feb. 7,1882;

INVENTOR WITNESSES- Wad/5m .7". ffergozzson N. PETERS. rhum-umo m n". Wlshinglnn, n. c.

NITED STATES THOMAS J FERGUSON, OF

PIKESVILLE, MARYLAND.

HEMP-HEATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,194, dated February '7, 1882.

Application filed November 23, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. FERGUSON, of Pikesville, Baltimore county, State of Mary land, have-inven ted certain new and useful Improvementsin Hem p-Beaters and I hereby declare the same to be a fully, clearly, and exactly described as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of the machine, and Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view of the same taken between the heaters.

My invention has reference to devices for beating hemp preparatory to the separation of the refuse portions from the fiber; and it consists in certain features of construction of the device about to be described, the points of novelty being made the subject of the claims.

In the drawings, A is the frame, in which are mounted two shafts, a ct, connected by gearing a, as shown. Upon one of the shafts is a pulley, B, for the driving-belt, or to receive a belt for driving a contiguous machine adapted to wash or separate the fiber. A shaft, I, located midway between the shafts a a, carries aseries of arms, 0, having at their ends heaters 0, adapted to strike, as thearms O are rocked,upon the beds H, which latter are formed by bolting a series of iron plates, t, to the sides of the frame.

At either side of the machine is a feedtable and a pair of feed-rollers, E E, which latter are driven by sprocket-chains ff, led over wheels 6 on the roller-shafts, as shown in Fig. 2.

Beneath each beater-arm is a spring, b, connected by means ofa rod, D, with a loop, J, embracing the shaft I, and attached to the upper edge of the arm 0 at a point vertically over the pivot when the arm is horizontal, and on the shafts a a are mounted cranks h it, one on each side of the pivot of each of the arms, adapted as theyturntoliftthearmsO. Thecranksareprovided with pins or rollers hin their ends, which act against the under sides of the arms 0 as'the cranks turn. The cranks are of a length sufficient to lift the arms slightly above the horizontal, so that the line of traction passes the axis of the shaft I, and the springs hold down the arms after the cranks have delivered the blow.

In operation, the heaters and rollers being set in motion, the cranks h raise one end of each arm 0, throwing the other end down upon the hemp, the spring accelerating the downward strokeandpreventingtherebonnd. Thehemp isfed in at either side of the machine upon the beds H, where it is beaten by the mallets c, and finally falls upon a table under the machine, whence it is taken to the washer.

It is clear that any desired number of beaters may be used, and that they may operate, if desired, at but one side of the machine, being lifted and thrown down by cams or cranks, and held down by springs. The blow is peculiar in its action, as the first impact results in a slight rebound, the mallet again descending and grinding, as it were, upon the hemp. The effect is to thoroughly loosen the fiber and prepare them aterial for the ready and thoroughremoval of the refuse matter. By preference the heaters are separated by plates, forming separate compartments for each beater.

The springs I) serve, as stated, to hold the heaters down upon the hemp, and prevent them from rebounding to such a height as to possibly escape the cranks upon the next stroke, the blow being effected by the cranks themselves.

What I claim is- 1. In a hemp-beater, one or more pivoted arms carrying mallets or heaters, in combina tion with cranks or cams adapted, as described, to raise the arms and follow them through a partonly of their down ward strokes, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the arms 0, having beaters c, the springs I), attached to the arms above their pivots, and the cranks It, as set forth.

3. In combination with the beds H, the beaters c, and arms 0, the cranks h, springs 12, and rod and loop D J, as set forth.

4. In combination with the frame A, having shafts a a I, the beds H, arms 0, having beaters c, cranks h, rollers E E, and the actuating-springs attached to the arms, as set forth.

THOMAS J. FERGUSON. 

